Virtually everyone who has operated a vehicle has experienced the frustration of trying to close the vehicle's trunk lid when an oversized article, i.e., an article that will not permit the trunk to be fully closed, is placed within the trunk. In recent years, the frequency and magnitude of the problem has increased with the ever increasing use of downsized automobiles that have small trunks. When faced with the problem of transporting a large article, most vehicle operators try to secure the partially-open trunk lid to various members of the vehicle's body portion or bumper with string, twine, rope, metal cables, or elastic bands with hooks at their respective ends, which are commonly referred to as "bungee cords". Most vehicle operators find this crude answer to the problem entirely unsatisfactory because the rope, etc., never seems to be available when needed, and the overall fastening procedure is very time-consuming and frustrating, especially for the elderly and others with limited physical dexterity. In addition, the ropes, knots, etc., inevitably become loose after the vehicle has been driven for even a short distance, which allows the trunk lid to freely bounce up and down and thereby dent, scratch, or otherwise damage both the trunk lid and the article being transported.
Others have recognized the need for a device to secure a vehicle's trunk lid in a partly-open position. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,971,589 to Elrod, and 3,988,032 to Weinstein, there are disclosed various devices that all basically rely on a strap, cord, rope, or cable to tie the trunk lid down. However, it has been found that these types of devices that use a flexible tying member generally stretch and flex when the vehicle is in motion, which permits the trunk lid to bounce up and down. In addition, all of the disclosed devices require permanent holes to be drilled in the trunk lid, vehicle body, or both to secure the device to the vehicle with fasteners, which is very time-consuming, requires special tools, and permanently disfigures the vehicle in addition to possibly weakening the vehicle's structural integrity.
Other known hold-open devices include rigid members that in theory solve the trunk bouncing problem, examples of which include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,117,689 to Dedic and 4,062,583 to Taylor. However, as with the flexible devices discussed above, these rigid-member devices also require holes to be drilled in the vehicle to attach the device to the vehicle with fasteners. In addition, both the Dedic and Taylor devices, and consequently the trunk lid, can only be locked in a limited number of positions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,973,217, and 2,974,989, and 3,180,668 also show rigid holders, but they are more complicated and mount differently compared to this invention. Finally, since these prior art devices are mounted inside the trunk compartment, they significantly reduce the amount of usable storage space within the trunk.
In light of the above, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a trunk lid holder that can be attached to a vehicle without drilling holes in or otherwise permanently altering the vehicle.
Another principal object of the present invention is to provide a trunk lid holder that can be quickly and easily attached to a vehicle when needed, and quickly removed and conveniently stored when not in use.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a trunk lid holder that will secure a trunk lid in an infinite number of degrees of openness.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a trunk lid holder that can be removably attached to a vehicle without the need of special tools.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a trunk lid holder that will not rattle when in use.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a trunk lid holder that can be secured to the right, left, or rear side of a vehicle's trunk compartment.
Also, the present holder extends vertically and is therefore most secure in attaching to the trunk lid. Also, it requires only one adjustment to establish the amount of lid openness; and it is therefore firm in holding the lid.
Further, a lower clamp extends into the vehicle rain gutter, and is trapped therein against inadvertent release.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a trunk lid hold-open device that can be attached to a vehicle without damaging the vehicle's outer finish.